Civil and Military Summary

This section of the novel is divided into three parts. The first section is called "The Military."

In 1942 an Indian infantry division is being organized at Mayapore under the authority of the British army, and Brigadier A.V. Reid is sent from Rawalpindi to oversee its formation. Many years afterward, Reid is preparing his memoirs and writes about the events surrounding Bibighar and the uprising that took place around the same time.

The first thing Reid does upon arriving in Mayapore is meet with the Deputy Commissioner Robin White and speak to him about his opinion on the conditions in the district and the likelihood of unrest. It is Reid's opinion, which he gives to White, that a strong hand is necessary at the first sign of trouble. As the civil authority in Mayapore, White is in charge of...